Retractable writing instrument



y 1960 w. WICHMANN 2,935,043

RETRACTABLE WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed Oct. ,29, 1954 INVENTOR WILHEL W/CHMA/VN.

ATTORNEY RETRACTABLE WRITING INSTRUMENT v Wilhelm Wichmann, Clifton, NJ. 7 Application October 29, 1954, Serial No. 465,477 4 Claims. 01. nit-42.03

nited States Patent f pointfrom a retracted limiting position within the body of the instrument to a projected writing position-and another single manipulative effort to cause an opposite operative movement.

A further object is to provide positive means for effecting an assured completion of the two-step cycle of retraction and projection by said two similar manipulative eflorts.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of space-economical means for accomplishing the above described operation, whereby there will be a maximum of space for accommodating the supply of writing material, whether it be a length of lead or an ink cartridge.

And it is further within my contemplation to provide a simple construction, capable of ready and economical fabrication, having the features above mentioned.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure l is a longitudinal section of a form of my invention, with the terminal writing portion and associated parts in their operatively retracted position. v

Figure 2 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the rear casing, the carrier member and cartridge of the device of Figure 1.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are views substantially like Figure 2, but showing portions of the carrier and pin in different operative positions.

Figure 6 is a section of Figure 2 taken substantially along line 66.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, showing the device of Figure 2 viewed from another position.

In my invention as shown in Figures 1 to 7, a forward casing 67 is detachably secured to a rear casing 68 which has a shell 69 forced over it. A longitudinal passage extends through both the forward and rear casing to accommodate the cartridge 70 which may be a standard ball-point pen cartridge having a smaller terminal writing portion 77 which is shown extending into the smaller front passageway 78 in the forward casing 67. A compression spring 76 seats within the forward casing 67 to urge the cartridge 70 upwards. Although a ball-point cartridge 70 is shown, it is to be understood that my invention may be easily adapted to other types of writing instruments.

Extending through an aperture in the shell 69 is the 2,935,043 Patented May 3, 1960 a 2 plunger 72 of the push rod 73. A spring 75 lies within the shell 69 and extends about the push rod 73 to bear on the top of the rear casing 68 and the flange 7-4 of the push rod 73 to urge it upwards. A cartridge carrier 71 is rotatably and slidably disposed within the rear casing 68 so that it may be forced downwards by the push rod 73 upon the depression of the plunger 72. The rear end of the cartridge 70 seats within the cartridge carrier 71 and is prevented from moving upward within it by the diametrical pin 91 which extends through the cartridge carrier 71 to rest on top of the cartridge 70.

The casing 68 contains a single grooved cam portion 79, with limiting sections or pin rests 80, Stand 82. A barrier member consisting of a spring wire 83 is em: bedded (or otherwise suitably secured) to the wall 84 of casing 68, the intermediate portion 84a of casing 68 being of reduced proportions to permit the rear section 85 of barrier 83 to extend forwardly with-out protruding outwardly. The forward portion 86 extends into the recessed cam groove 79, said forward portion being substantially V-shaped with its lower apical portion 87 engaging the cam surface 88. The free end 89 of the wire 83 is spaced sulficiently from the adjacent carn wall 90 to permit the protruding end of the diametrical pin 9'1 to move therepastbut is more remote, laterally, from rear pin rest 80 than the intermediate pin rest 82.

Upon an operative depression of push rod 72, the pin 91 will move forwardly from the position of Figure 2 to that of Figure 3, in which position it engages and deflects barrier wire 83, to move therepast until its foremost position at pin rest 81 is reached (Figure 4). Upon the release of push rod 72, spring 76 will urge pin 91 (and the parts connected thereto) rearwardly, the pin passing terminal 89 of the wire in its undeilected position shown in Figure 4. When pin 91 reaches the intermediate pin rest 82, the terminal portion 77 is in its operative writing position, protruding from the front passage 78. A depression of push rod 72 at this point will force the pin into the crotch 72 of the V-portion of wire 83, and the subsequent release of the push rod willpermit the pin to return to its rearmost position at pin rest 80, at the retracted position shown in Figure 1.

It is thus apparent that a single manipulative effort can effect a projection of the writing terminal to its operative position, and a similar single manipulative effort will effect a retraction thereof. It is also to be noted that the operative mechanism in the region of the carrier member is disposed substantially at the rear of the instrument, thereby permitting a long cartridge member for accommodating either ink or a writing lead.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely by way of example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variations and modifications may be made therein. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or manner of practicing same, except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A writing instrument comprising a casing with a cavity in said casing having an upper part of the cavity cylindrical and having a lower part of the cavity form a channel communicating with the lower part of said casing, a cartridge disposed in the cavity, a writing tip supported by the lower end of said cartridge, spring means to urge said cartridge upwards within the cavity, a cartridge carrier adapted to press down on the upper portion of said cartridge and disposed at least partially within the cylindrical portion of the cavity so as to be longitudinally and rotatably movable, means to move said cartridge carrier longitudinally, a pin protruding diametrically from said cartridge carrier extending within a recessed cam portion formed in the cylindrical part of the cavity in said casing so that the edge of the recessed cam portion forms an upper limiting position extending downward and laterally to alower limiting position which extends upward and back *downward to form a downward facing intermediate pin rest from one sideof which the edge extends upward and laterally to the aforementioned upper limiting position, and a spring supported barrier member having, between a first arm and a second arm which slopes upward, a downward facing apex and an upward facing crotch with said spring supported bar.- rier member disposed within the recessed cam portion with its apex adjacent to the edge of the recessed cam portion that extends between the upper limiting position and the lower limiting position so that, as said means moves said cartridge carrier downward, it moves said cartridge from a retracted position in which said writing tip is Within the channel communicating with the lower portion of said casing and it moves said pin downward and laterally along the edge of the recessed cam portion to the lower limiting position during which travel said pin forces the apex of said barrier member away from the edge of the recessed cam portion and then allows said barrier member to snap back into position at which time, as said means allows said cartridge carrier to move upward into the writing position when said writing tip is extended beyond the lower end of said casing, said pin moves upward and is urged laterally by the under surface of the second arm of said barrier memberinto the intermediate pin rest which urges said pin in the opposite direction so that, as said means again moves said cartridge carrier downward, said pin is guided along by .the

upper surface of the second 'arm until said pin is res r ined i a second l wer limiting P s n in he crotch in said barrier member when, as said means again allows said cartridge carrier to moi/e upward, said. pin is urged laterally into the upper limiting position by the edge of the recessed cam portion and said writing instrument is again in the retracted position.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said means to move said cartridge carrier longitudinally comprises a plunger extending above said easing into the cavity. v 7

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said spring supported barrier member is supported by the upper end of the first arm which is disposed in a substantially verticalpo's'i't'ion. g

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein the first arm of said spring supported barrier member forms an acute angle with the edge of the recessed cam portion and the second arm of said spring supported barrier member forms substantially a right angle with the edge of the recessed cam portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 854,827 Kuhne May 28, 1907 2,622,561 Baker Dec. 23, 1952 2,671,354 Goos Mar. 9, 1954 v FOREIGN PATENTS 10,026 Great Britain of 1887 Great Britain Apr. 5, 1950 

